Vaporizer.



No. 767,456. PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904.

W. E. VER BLANOK & 0. E. LUUKE.

VAPORIZER.

APPLICATION FILED F3124. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

A TTORNE Y S No. 767,456. Patented August 16, 1904.

UNTTED STATES PATENT EETcE.

I/VILLIAM EVERETT VER PLANGK, OF NEWV YORK, AND CHARLES EDUARD LUGKE, OF KINGSBRIDGE, NEWV YORK.

VAPORIZER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,456, dated. August 16, 1904.

Application filed February 24, 1902. Serial No. 95,267. (NomodeL) To all whom i m y concern: with an elevated tank (Z for a purpose which Be it known that we, I/VILLIAMEVERETT VER will hereinafter appear. 5 PLANCK, aresident of the borough of Manhat- (Z indicates a branch of the pipe (Z, which tan, and CHARLES EDUARD LUCKE, a resident passes into the receiver (Z at or immediately of Kingsbridge,borough of the Bronx, in the adjacent to the bottom thereof.

city, county, and State of New York, citizens eindicatesacockfor controllingthis branch, of the United States, have invented a new and and I f indicates a check-valve opening into the 5 5 Improved Vaporizer, of which the following receiver, as the arrow shows. is a full, clear, and exact description. (Z indicates a second branch of the pipe (Z,

This invention relates to a vaporizer for hythis branch leading into the receiver ata point drocarbon oils. It is useful for various purabove the branch (Z', and g indicates a checkposes, but is especially intended for supplying valve in the pipe (Z the check-valve 7 open- 6 fuel to internal-combustion engines. ing into the pipe (Z, as the arrow shows.

The object is to provide means for main- The operation of this apparatus is as fol- I 5 taining a supply of hydrocarbon or other. valows: Oil is introduced into the receiver until por under constant pressure, the vapor to be it reaches the desired level. This level is at mixed with air and supplied to the engine in or near the pipe (Z for reasons which will be 6 5 the usual or any desired manner and afiord hereinafter set forth. If the receiver is not ing an unfailing supply of vapor fuel for the under sufficient heat at the starting operation,

engine notwithstanding irregularities in the the cock 6 may be closed until the proper deoperation of the same. This end we attain by gree of vaporization takes place within the providing a receiver in which a definite volreceiver, after which the cock should be 7.0 ume of the oil may be constantly maintained opened and kept open at all times during the and heated, preferably, to or above the boiloperation of the vaporizer. The heat from ing-point. The receiver is fitted with means the exhaust of the engine or from any other for maintaining the oil at a practically consource desired causes the liquid fuel to boil stant level and the vapor at approximately a in the receiver, and the vapor given off accu- 7 5 predetermined pressure. The upper part of mulates above the oil. hen the pressure the receiver is in connection with the engine of vapor in the receiver becomes sufficiently to supply vapor thereto. great to overcome the pressure of the oil in This specification is an exact description of the pipe (Z, the vapor will pass out through one example of our invention, while the claims the pipe (Z past the loaded check-valve g, and define the actual scope thereof. into the pipe (Z, where the vapor will be con- Reference is to be had to the accompanying densed by the comparatively cold oil therein.

3 5 drawing, forming a part of this specification, If the oil rises in the receiver above the branch in which the figure represents a sectional elepipe (Z ,the pressure of vapor will force the vation of the invention. surplus of oil out through the pipe (Z The (6 indicates the receiver, which according to pipe (Z supplies the oil to the receiver When the construction here shown is provided with needed. The vapor is taken to the engine by 4 fire-tubes Z). This receiver may be most ecoway of the pipe 0, as will be understood.

nomically heated by causing the exhaust-gases In connection with this apparatus it will be of the engine to pass through the fire-tubes in observed that a constant body of oil is always 9 the manner indicated by the arrows in the maintained in the receiver. The amount of drawing. the oil is automatically controlled by the de- 45 0 indicates a means for drawing off vapors vices explained, also a constant pressure of from the upper part of the receiver, and (Z invapor above atmospheric pressure is maindicates the supply-pipe for the liquid fuel. tained. In practical operation the apparatus This supply-pipe is preferably in connection is blowing at all timesthat is to say, the

vapor is at sufficient pressure to pass into the pipe (Z against the pressure therein. This keeps the vapor at a certain pressure, and this pressure may be easily regulated by regulating the pressure of the oil in the pipe (I. This is preferably done by the elevated tank referred to hereinbefore, and by placing the tank at one elevation or another the pressure in the pipe may be varied. Other means, however, may be used for this purpose, as will be readily understood. This apparatus provides, therefore, a supply of vapor under a constant pressure above atmospheric pressure which is always at the command of the engine and is sufficient to meet any emergencies that might arise.

An important feature of the apparatus is the maintenance of a body of liquid fuel in the receiver. This avoids carbonization and insures the effective operation of the apparatus, the essential point in which is the generation of the vapor within the receiver from thebody of oil maintained therein. This vapor being maintained under pressure in the receiver is continuously subjected to the heat thereof, thus keeping it in the form most productive of effective results in the engine-cylinder.

The apparatus here shown and described is considered by us to be the most effective embodiment of the invention; but we desire it understood that it is not our purpose to limit ourselves to this form of the apparatus, but consider ourselves entitled to all forms thereof which embody the principle of action pointed out above and defined in the claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters latent-- 1. A vaporizer for hydrocarbon oils, comprising a receiver adapted to be heated, a supply-pipe for the liquid oil, said pipe having two branches leading into the receiver at different elevations, and check valves in the branches, the check-valve of the lower branch opening into the receiver and the check-valve of the upper branch opening into the supplypipe.

2. A vaporizer, comprising a receiver adapted to be heated and having an outlet for the vapor, a liquid-fuel supply, and means for exhausting the excess vapor into the liquid-supply, whereby to condense said excess vapor, said means comprising a passage leading from the receiver at apoint above the fuel-inlet and serving also to carry off the excess fuel under the pressure of the vapor.

3. A vaporizer,comprising a receiver adapted to be heated and. having an outlet for the vapor, a liquid-fuel supply, and means for exhausting the excess vapor into the liquid-supply, whereby to condense said excess vapor, said means comprising a tube leading from the receiver at a point above the fuel-inlet and a check-valve in the tube and opening toward the fuel-supply, whereby also to carry off the excess fuel under the pressure of the vapor.

4:. In a vaporizer for hymlrocarbon fuel, the combination of a source of lili uid-supply, a closed receptacle, means for heating it, a regulater for maintaining a predetermined level of the liquid within the receptacle to prevent carbonization, and a means for eond ensing the vapor produced in excess of that required to maintain a predetermined pressure.

5. A vaporizer for hydrocarbon oils, comprising a receiver adapted to be heated and having an outlet for drawing off the vapor generated, and means for supplying the liquid oil to the receiver, said means maintaining constantly a certain body of liquid oil in the receiver, whereby to prevent carbonization and to permit instantly replenishing the vapor-supply in the receiver from the body of superheated liquid oil maintained therein, and said means including devices for exhausting the excess vapor from the receiver against a certain set pressure, whereby to maintain the vapor in the receiver at a predetermined pressure.

6. A vaporizer for hydrocarbon oils, comprising a receiver adapted to be heated and having an outlet for drawing off the vapor generated, and means for supplying the liquid oil to the receiver, said means maintaining 9 constantly a certain body of liquid oil in the receiver, whereby to prevent carbonization and to permit instantly replenishing the vapor-supply in the receiver from the body of superheated liquid oil maintained therein, and said means including devices for exhausting the excess vapor from the receiver into the liquid-oil supply at a point below the level thereof, whereby a certain pressure is opposed to the vapor-exhaust and the vapor in the re ceiver is thereby maintained at a predetermined pressure, and whereby also the exhaust-vapor is condensed in and by the liquidoil supply.

7. A vaporizer for hydrocarbon oils, comprising a receiver adapted to be heated, a liquid-oilsupply pipe leading into the receiver, a cheek-valve in the said supply-pipe, the check valve opening into the receiver, a branch pipe leading from the receiver, at a point above the point of entry of the supplypipe, to and into said supply-pipe, and a checkvalve in the branch pipe and opening into the supply-pipe, for the purpose specified.

8. A vaporizer for hydrocarbon oils, comprising a receiver adapted to be heated, at liquid-oil-supply pipe leading into the receiver, a check-valve in said supply-pipe, the checkvalve opening into the receiver, and a branch pipe leading from the receiver, at a point above the point of entry of the supply-pipe, to and into said supply-pipe, for the purpose specified.

9. In a vaporizer for hydrocarbon fuel, the combination of a source of liquid-supply, a

receptacle, means for heating the receptacle, a regulating mechanism for maintaining a predetermined amount of liquid within the receptacle to prevent carbonization, and a means for discharging the excess vapor back into the original source of liquid-supply where it is condensed when the pressure within the receptacle exceeds a predetermined amount.

10. In a vaporizer for hydrocarbon fuel, the combination of a receptacle in which the liquid is vaporized, and maintained under pressure, a means for heating the receptacle, a device for permanently retaining a certain amount of liquid in the receptacle against the internal pressure to prevent carbonization, a valve which automatically opens under conditions of excess pressure and discharges such an amount of vapor into a closed space as will relieve said excess and permit the vapor to condense, and a source of supply which automatically feeds liquid to the receptacle as it is consumed.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM EVERETT VER PLANCK. CHARLES EDUARD LUCKE. Witnesses:

I. B. OWENS, J NO. M. RITTER. 

